Also see The Films of Jack Hill
Currently hailed as a lesbian cult classic, not for copious alternative tongue rasslin, but for its pervasive girl-power undercurrent that really boils over in the last act. The delicate balance of a scrappy urban gang known as the Daggers and their honeys, the Dagger Debs, is upset when Maggie (Joanne Nail) comes nosing around with her micro hotpants and too cool for school ‘tude. Somewhere in the midst of getting initiated into the Debs, Maggie gets lip-locked in a love triangle with head Dagger dude Dominic (Asher Brauner) and his main squeeze Lace (Robbie Lee) who squawks like a pint-sized James Cagney. When there’s gangs involved, there’s gotta be a rumble, so the Daggers decide they really hate this guy Crabs (Chase Newhart) and his shady group of social activists (a.k.a. drug dealers). This leads to a stunning display of carnage at a ROLLER RINK with Dom and his peeps catching more than their expected share of lead. All appears lost when the menfolk turn yella and leave the Debs all by their lonesome, but Maggie rallies the babes into a NEW gang — The Jezebels — who join forces with a highly-organized and well-armed group of black lesbians to paint the streets with the blood of Crabs and his sniveling kind. The madness of this Shakespearian tragedy sure as heck doesn’t end there. CineSchlockers should note that the loveable Donut is played by Kitty Bruce, daughter of the transcendent comedian.
Notables: Five breasts. 17 corpses. Cigarette to the navel. Toilet diving. Molatov cocktail explosions. Gratuitous militant lesbians. Mao quoting.
Quotables: Dominic fears fatherhood, "What if it IS mine!? So what!!! You think I’m ready to haul freight in some f@#$ing warehouse for two dollars an hour?! So you can have a little brat suck on your t@t?! NO THANKS, BABY!!!" Maggie’s monologue, "Let me give YOU some advice, cop! You can beat us, chain us, lock us up, but we’re gonna be back! UNDERSTAND?! And when we do, cop, you better keep your ass off our turf! OR WE’LL BLOW IT OFF!!! You dig?! We’re the JEZEBELS, cop! Remember that name! We’ll be back!!!"
Time codes: Value-sized Donut is made to squeal like a pig (6:55). Hill’s daughters (3:11). Dominic has his way with Maggie (20:55). The California Roller Rink Massacre (52:25). Behold the Revolutionmobile (1:12:50). High-concept climax (1:23:45).